Ahead of Galopin Des Champs chasing a record-equalling fourth success, we’re taking a look back at some of the best Irish Gold Cup winners and ranking our favourites.
Now the highlight of day one of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown , the three-mile showpiece has been lit up by star performers for almost four decades.
Betting Odds
2026 Irish Gold Cup Betting Odds
Horse | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Galopin Des Champs | 11/10 | 47.6% |
Affordable Fury | 5/1 | 16.7% |
Fact To File | 6/1 | 14.3% |
Haiti Couleurs | 8/1 | 11.1% |
Inothewayurthinkin | 8/1 | 11.1% |
Spindleberry | 10/1 | 9.1% |
Gaelic Warrior | 12/1 | 7.7% |
I Am Maximus | 12/1 | 7.7% |
Bar | 14/1 | 6.7% |
Carvill's Hill
(6) CARVILL’S HILL (1989 & 1992)
A winner of 17 of his 24 races, Carvill’s Hill first claimed Irish Gold Cup glory under the care of Jim Dreaper and enjoyed an emotional homecoming three years later with Martin Pipe, romping home by 15 lengths each time.
His jumping flaws may have been exposed in the Cheltenham Gold Cup , but what an engine this visually striking horse had, and few will forget his spectacular Welsh Grand National triumph in between those Leopardstown strikes.
Danoli
(5) DANOLI (1997)
Few horses have captured the imagination of Irish racegoers as much as Tom Foley’s terrier, and this equine folk hero brought the house down when gamely seeing off the challenge of Cheltenham Gold Cup winners Jodami and Imperial Call.
Jodami
(4) JODAMI (1993, 1994 & 1995)
It’s hard to believe there was a time when British raiders regularly plundered Ireland’s top prizes, but Peter Beaumont’s brilliant jumper was one of the most popular horses of that period.
Jodami edged out Chatam for his first Irish Gold Cup in 1993 before following up in the Cheltenham equivalent a month later, and showed all of his trademark bravery to twice more justify favouritism at Leopardstown before his gutsy second to Danoli at the age of 12.
Beef Or Salmon
(3) BEEF OR SALMON (2003, 2006 & 2007)
The classy chestnut came with a smooth run to prevail in 2003 and was back on top three years later when producing a devastating display to saunter past Grand National hero Hedgehunter .
Beef Or Salmon secured his third Irish Gold Cup as an 11-year-old when outbattling subsequent 2008 winner The Listener to make it 10 Grade One victories, with six of those coming at Leopardstown , where he also famously crushed Best Mate by seven lengths in the Lexus Chase.
Galopin Des Champs
(2) GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (2023, 2024, 2025)
Willie Mullins’ relentless galloper has three times found an extra gear up the home straight in this race to pummel his opponents into submission.
At a track he simply loves, there have been other wider-margin wins over Gerri Colombe and stablemate Fact To File in two Savills Chase victories, while Galopin Des Champs has also managed to transfer his talent and courage to Prestbury Park with a couple of Cheltenham Gold Cup triumphs.
Florida Pearl
(1) FLORIDA PEARL (1999, 2000, 2001 & 2004)
The first real superstar trained by Mullins , Florida Pearl, was sent chasing straight after his Champion Bumper win at Cheltenham and returned to Prestbury Park for another Festival success 12 months later.
He also beat Best Mate in a King George at Kempton , but Leopardstown was his favourite playground, and with his flashy white face easy to pick out, Florida Pearl’s army of fans had few moments of concern during a dominant hat-trick from 1999 to 2001.
The next two years saw him finish a distant fourth of five and then be pulled up, but Mullins conjured up all of his magic to bring him back for a glorious swansong at the age of 12, when not even being hampered by a loose horse at the last fence could spoil Florida Pearl’s fairytale finish.
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